It’s always a sad day to note when a formerly beloved Disney attraction is relegated to the status of a “has-been.”
Both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort are known to be some of the most magical spots for a Disney vacation, and both these Disney resorts are home to some of the best rides and attractions that form the Disney experience. But sometimes, rides go past their prime, an unfortunate but existing reality, and that’s what one guest noted about a former fan-favorite.
According to Disney, Dumbo the Flying Elephant is a “classic attraction [that] lets you hop atop everybody’s favorite circus elephant as he discovers he can fly. Dumbo’s faithful friend Timothy Q. Mouse helps keeps you aloft with his “magic” feather. ” It’s based on the 1941 Disney animated masterpiece Dumbo. The attraction is “adjustable” as “you can adjust your altitude during your flight, so you can soar high or swoop low.”
However, one Disney fan, Nick Cucerzan, shared, “It’s amazing how Dumbo went from one of the most celebrated and publicized attractions at the Magic Kingdom to one we hardly hear about anymore. ”
It’s amazing how Dumbo went from one of the most celebrated and publicized attractions at the Magic Kingdom to one we hardly hear about anymore.
Growing up it felt like Dumbo was the Disney experience and if you didn’t ride it you didn’t really go to Disney. pic.twitter.com/5WxcFSe93X
— Nick Cucerzan (@NCucerzan) March 21, 2023
Cucerzan added in a later tweet that “Now that it is in Storybook Circus it almost feels like an afterthought. I think the last time I rode the attraction was right after it opened in its new location while they were still building the second spinner.”
As the fan points out, the attraction is in Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom Park and certainly no longer holds the pride of place it once did.
Many fans agreed with the observation. Another shared, “It’s 100% the relocation. It was such an iconic ride spinning around next to the castle. Now it’s no different than [Alladin’s] magic carpet. A perfect example of Disney not grasping why something is popular.”
Disney fan Nicole added, “I wish Storybook Circus was more built-up. I know that they have the little meet & greet tent and the splash park. But just two rides feels ‘meh.’ Especially when it’s the best place for little kids to find their place in the park.”
It’s certainly a shame to see an attraction that was once immensely popular be nothing more than a passing thought in the Disney resort, especially when, as the OP pointed out, it was once considered the epitome of the Disney experience.
What are your thoughts on Dumbo’s dwindling popularity? Tell us about it in the comments below!